Psalm 34:17

NASB The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears And rescues them from all their troubles. 

NLT The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.

VOICE When the upright need help and cry to the Eternal, He hears their cries and rescues them from all of their troubles.

Righteous Response

The righteous are those that are in right standing with God, shown via their faith and obedience to His commandments. In the Old Testament, it was connected to adherence to the Law, but through humility and dependence on God. For the righteous to cry out shows that this is a deep and earnest plea for help. The righteous trust that God will respond to their pleas. The assurance that God hears their cries shows the close relationship between God and His people, where God is not distant or complacent, but is actively engaged in their lives. God delivers us from all our troubles. It’s not a one-time rescue, but it’s an ongoing save. The promise of this save is not always immediate or in the way we might expect, but it’s for those who trust in God. 

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Do you believe God hears your cries? Do you believe God rescues you from your troubles? How have you seen that work in your life?

Myths About God’s Timing

There’s a lot of times where we talk about God’s timing as something to keep our hopes up for a positive outcome. I know for me, I’ve taught it as a way that it may not happen on our times, but on God’s time, which is greater than anything we can comprehend. I’ve been thinking about what we’re generally taught and believe about God’s timing, and how they can be harmful to our relationship with God. 

“If God loves me, He will answer quickly.” This is a harmful mindset because this connects silence to rejection, which can build up over time. Remember, God hears the cry of the righteous people. He hears our cries and rescues all that call to him. That rescue may not happen when we want it to happen, but it will be how we grow and develop our relationship with God. 

“If I demand enough – pray harder, louder, longer – God has to deliver now.” This makes our faith like a bargaining tool and treats God as if He is a spiritual vending machine. When our prayers feel unanswered, people can blame themselves or blame God. People will walk away thinking that either they aren’t good enough or that God isn’t powerful enough. God’s timing comes from His wisdom and holiness. Waiting means also trusting that God will say “no” or “not yet” without being unloving. I often think of it this way: with the adults that care for me and genuinely want the best for me, they will say “no” when they know my request will cause me distress. I may get mad at them with their denial, but I can see later on that it was for my good. We often see that with God too. 

“If God’s timing is ‘perfect,’ then I should doubt or feel disappointed.” This is something that I’ve struggled with before. I preach that God’s timing is perfect, but the feeling of grief when God says ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ is still valid. The grief that comes with denial is very valid. It turns the waiting into a torture, instead of a preparation. The psalmist from Psalm 34 shares that the righteous cry out because they hurt. God doesn’t cause hurt, but God laments with us and walks alongside us in our suffering. We’re in this relationship together, so God wouldn’t cause the hurt to eventually heal. We must remember that our covenant relationship with God is a team effort. God leads the relationship, and we respond in trust and faithfulness.

These are just three common mindsets that come with believers that tend to fall away from their relationship with God surrounding God’s timing. There are more. There are things that have come to your mind that I didn’t mention. Whatever you are feeling right now, your feelings are valid. May you work with God to understand how His timing impacts your faith and your relationship. 

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: What’s one thing you believe about God’s timing? Do you believe that helps or hurts your relationship with Christ?